According to the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, thirty teams will initially assess 200 clothing factories over the next two months, with the view to inspect 1,000 factories on structural integrity, fire and electrical safety in the future.

Bangladesh's Labour Secretary Mikail Shipar said officials have so far only conducted visual surveys and the latest audits.

However, the latest agreement shows that while global retailers have forged a pact, there is still a dispute over how to pay for the fire safety upgrades.

The North American group, Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety, says it is willing to stump up $100m (£62m, €74m) in loans to factory owners to finance safety upgrades while European retailers agreed to finance fire and safety reforms for buildings that do not meet requirements.